


Opposite

by elvhenphoenix



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Depression, F/M, Fluff, Magic, farming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2018-07-11 16:58:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7061563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elvhenphoenix/pseuds/elvhenphoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Quiet, introverted Sebastian wants more than a dull life in Pelican Town. Wild, runaway Avery came looking for just that. </p><p>Complete fluff because Seb is just too cute for words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Spring 1st. Sublety is Not My Strong Suit

The two boys had been sitting over the tunnel, dangling their legs and watching the sun set behind the mountain.

He had a cigarette in hand, and tinny music sounded out from earbuds that dangled around his neck. Sebastian was rarely satisfied with life in this small-time town his family had moved to – but some moments, like this one, were occasionally worth it.

‘God, when’s the last time we did this, eh?’ Sam yawned before taking another swig of his beer. ‘Must have been years ago.’

Sebastian smiled briefly in answer, lifting his own bottle to his lips. A shadow fell over him for a moment, and he looked up, eyes squinting to see the bird wheeling high overhead.

‘So,’ Sam continued. ‘How’s the lovely Abigail?’

The dark-haired boy startled, choking on his mouthful of beer. ‘Nothing!’ he said, flustered. ‘Honestly, mate, why do you have to keep bringing that up?’

Sam smirked. ‘Because she’s got it bad for you, man. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it!’

Sebastian raised his hands in protest, about to deny all feelings, when there suddenly came a rumble from the tunnel, shaking the very earth beneath the two boys.

‘What on earth-?’

The two leaned over the fence just in time to see a sleek black car emerge from the tunnel. It slowed, stopping at the old bus station, and now that Sebastian looked properly he could see the Mayor and – his mother?

‘What’s Mum doing here?’ he muttered. Sam shrugged.

‘Who cares? I wanna know who _that_ is!’ Sebastian followed his hand to see someone emerging from the car.

She was too far away to make out, but her russet curls, wild and tangled, fluttered in the breeze, bouncing as she gestured to her surroundings.

‘Mate, ask your mum tonight, alright?’ Sam was saying. ‘Ask if she’s single, that’s what’s important!’

Sebastian elbowed him. ‘Shut up.’

Later, when Sam had left Sebastian to his thoughts, he eventually stood from his position over the bridge. His knees ached, and his head buzzed from the beer. As he stretched, a light caught his eye, and he turned in surprise to see the cottage on the abandoned farmland glowing with light.

What was going on? The place had been abandoned his whole life, and the only memory he had of any sort of tenant was that of a halo of white hair, surrounding a wrinkled face that smiled down at him.

He wondered, briefly, if the newcomer had anything to do with it, and without another moment’s thought began to pick the path that led down to the northern end of the farmland.

It was wild and overgrown, and it was some time before Sebastian finally made it to the farm – just in time to see Mayor Lewis, and his mother, bid the newcomer goodnight. Quietly, he watched as the mane of wild red hair stood on her porch, apparently taking in the night air. He shifted, curious, craning his neck in an attempt to get a better look at this new addition to Pelican Town.

As he moved, a twig cracked under his foot. Red Hair turned suddenly in his direction, frowning in concern.

‘Hello? Is someone there?’

She had a city accent, he would note later, back in the safety of his room. For now, however, he panicked, scrambling through the undergrowth with all the grace and finesse of an elephant.

‘Hey!’

Red Hair had stepped off her porch, was running towards the edge of the farm.

‘Come back!’

Yeah, right.


	2. Spring 14th. I Met Red Hair

That night, his mother had been waiting for him to come home. She wouldn’t go to bed until her family were in their own, and as Sebastian snuck into the kitchen, she switched on the light. Her auburn hair was beginning to show streaks of grey.

‘What time do you call this, Sebby?’ she scolded. ‘It’s almost one in the morning! What were you doing out so late?’

He shrugged. ‘Just walking.’

Robin sniffed, then, and she pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘Have you been smoking? You know how I feel about those cigarettes, Sebby.’

Sebastian was only half-listening as he rifled through the fridge, but as she spoke he slammed the door shut, frowning.

‘I wasn’t smoking.’

Moving past his mother, he reached for the microwave door.

‘What were you doing then?’ Robin asked softly, shifting as she leant against the door.

He shrugged, avoiding her eyes and instead staring at the bowl of pasta that was turning slowly in the microwave. ‘Me and Sam were sitting over the tunnel. Y’know, just hanging out.’

Robin clucked at him. ‘I hope you were careful, Sebby!’

He rolled his eyes. ‘Mom, relax. We were plenty careful.’ The microwave dinged, and Sebastian withdrew his now warm bowl of pasta. Then he paused.

‘We saw the new arrival. Who was she?’

His mother chuckled. ‘Let me guess. Sam, in particular, wanted to know?’

Sebastian smiled. ‘Bingo.’

‘Well, she’s the new tenant on the old farmland.’ Robin shrugged. ‘You probably don’t remember the last tenant. He was sweet on you, though; he brought you and Maru all sorts of things from the farm when you were both very young.’

Sebastian nodded, rifling for a fork in the drawer by the sink.

‘Well, he died, some years ago as it turns out. The girl who showed up today was his granddaughter. Here to ‘start a new life’, she said.’ Robin snorted. ‘She seems sweet, but utterly clueless about the farm. I made a wager with Lewis that she’ll be gone before the year is out.’

She sighed, tired eyes closing, just for a moment. ‘Still, it can’t hurt to have someone new around the town. Give us all a bit of gossip.’

Sebastian nodded again as he dug the fork into the bowl.

‘Right, you,’ his mother said after a moment. ‘Take that to your room, and straight to bed! I’ll need a hand tomorrow in the shop, so you’ll need to be up early.’

He scowled, swallowing his mouthful of food. ‘I’ve got work to do tomorrow of my own.’

Robin had already left the kitchen, and she waved a hand vaguely as she went. ‘Of course, dear.’

It wasn’t until two weeks later that Sebastian finally met Red Hair. He was handling the shop; Robin had been called to a roof emergency somewhere on Willow Lane, and Demetrius (Sebastian refused to call him ‘Dad’) was tied up, as ever, in the lab.

Not that he had professional work which he’d been recruited to do, or anything.

In fact, he thought savagely, glaring at the repulsive ticking clock, he had nothing _better_ to do with his time than stand at the counter of this stupid, useless _shop_ -

The bell above the door chimed as someone came through, and Sebastian closed his eyes, taking a breath and plastering a sardonic smile on his face.

‘Welcome to the Carpenter’s Nook,’ he began to drone, but as he caught sight of the wild red hair that fell across the newcomer’s face he trailed off.

The newcomer pushed her curls off her face, and broke into a grin as she saw the dark-haired boy staring at her from behind the counter.

‘Hi! You must be Robin’s son, right? She mentioned you when I first got here.’

Deftly tying her hair back with a band, the newcomer swept across the shop, practically bouncing as she extended her hand across the countertop.

‘I’m Avery,’ she beamed. ‘Newest resident of Pelican Town!’ Her eyes were a feverish green, a bright gleam in an otherwise pale face. Freckles dotted her nose and cheeks, and her mass of wild hair was already beginning to spring loose from her ponytail.

Bemused, Sebastian slowly took her hand and shook it. ‘Sebastian.’

The door opened and shut behind them once again, and he was surprised to find himself dismayed to see Abigail, her purple hair damp and dark with rain.

‘Hi Seb,’ she said softly, before pulling up short as she realised that Sebastian was not alone. ‘Oh. Hello.’

Avery turned, beaming, and waved at her. ‘Hi! I’m Avery. I just took over the old farm plot.’

Abigail nodded. ‘That sounds right. I heard someone new was moving there.’ She looked past Avery, smiling fondly at Sebastian. ‘It’s kind of a shame, really.’

Avery snorted. ‘A shame? The place is a tip! I’ll be sorting out logs and stones and all sorts for months before I get any crops growing.’

Abigail shook her head. ‘That’s why it’s a shame! I always enjoyed exploring those overgrown fields by myself.’ Her smile brightened. ‘Although I wasn’t always alone, was I, Seb?’

Avery turned back to face him, an eyebrow arching in surprise. ‘Oh, really? On private property?’

Sebastian stuttered, colour flooding his cheeks. ‘Well, only once or twice – it was just to keep Abigail company, that’s all!’

The redhead stared at him a moment longer before laughing.  

‘Sure, sure,’ she chuckled. ‘I wouldn’t have expected anything else! At least the farmland hasn’t totally gone to waste.’

As her laugh petered out, Avery sighed. ‘What I wouldn’t have given to have grown up here.’

She gestured around the shop. ‘To have a place like this. To be able to run around the valley without thought.’

There was a wistfulness in her gaze, an old sadness hiding in the back of her mind. It was a gaze Sebastian had seen before, staring back at him from the mirror.

‘You guys are really lucky, you know?’ Avery finished. There was a brief lull in her frenetic movement, a window in which Sebastian could take a chance to finally take her in. Almost as quickly as he realised it, however, the moment passed, and Avery shook her head, smiling brightly.

‘Look, Seb,’ she continued. ‘If your mother isn’t in, I’ll simply have to come back another time. If you could let her know I’m thinking – _chickens_ , I think, yes. Chickens!’

Without another word, Avery waved goodbye, firstly to him and then to Abigail, and in another blur of movement she left the shop. The tinkling bell over the door, and the gust of wind that blew through the shop, were the only remnants of her presence.

‘Wow,’ Abigail commented, rolling her eyes. ‘She talks, like, _a lot_.’

Sebastian nodded in agreement, his eyes still watching the door. ‘I guess she does.’


	3. Spring 19th. The Photograph

It was another typical Friday night. The sun had set behind the mountains, and Sebastian, enjoying the warmth of the evening air for once, had swapped his trademark black coat for, surprise surprise, a black leather jacket. The birds were still singing, and as he entered the town square a warm breeze ruffled the green leaves on the trees.

It was a picturesque moment, made all the more memorable by the flash of bright red hair he caught sight of as it disappeared into the Stardrop Saloon.

Avery.

Sebastian tried very hard to keep his pace slow as he followed her towards the bar.

Tried, of course, being the operative word.

As he finally swung open the door into the bar a few minutes later, the usual warmth and smoke of stale cigarettes greeted him. It seemed busier than usual; and then he saw the small cluster that was gathered around a mass of ruby curls.

‘-And then the barman says, ‘Neutron? For you, _no charge!_ ’

The end of the joke provoked a cacophony of laughter and groans, and Avery’s laugh resounded through the room as would a bell across a valley. He smiled as she caught sight of him.

‘Sebastian!’ With difficulty, she extracted herself from the little group and came towards him. Her eyes were feverishly bright, and her cheeks were pink from mirth. ‘How are you?’

Avery was, he decided, the sort of person other people watched in action. Every movement seemed full of energy, every face she made full of brightness. To someone like Sebastian, who spent his days in his gloomy basement room, she was nothing short of exhausting.

As she beamed at him, he could hear a murmur running amongst those Avery had left behind at the bar. To his horror, Sebastian suddenly caught sight of his mother, and she smiled knowingly, winking as he stared.

‘Sorry,’ he stammered, stumbling back from the farmer. ‘I’m meeting some friends.’

Without another word, he turned and fled into the game room, missing the slight drop in Avery’s smile as she watched him go.

 Abigail and Sam had already set up camp in the game room, and as Sebastian hurried through the doorway the blonde boy potted another shot on the pool table.

‘Alright!’ he crowed, before turning to gesture at Abigail. ‘Hey, Abi, you see that?’

She shook her head absentmindedly, eyes fixated on the arcade machine in front of her as she pushed the buttons furiously.

‘Can’t right now, Sam,’ she muttered, ‘Gotta try and beat my high score!’

Sebastian snorted. ‘How many shots did you take to get that in?’

Sam looked up, grinning as he saw his best friend slinging his jacket on the sofa. ‘Please. You’re just jealous because I’m better than you at pool, and you know it.’

Sebastian held his hands up in a mock surrender. ‘Big words coming from a little guy.’ He grinned back, a wolfish smile. ‘Did you get me a pint?’

Sam nodded, pointing to the untouched beer sitting on the table. ‘All yours, dude.’

As he passed Abigail to get to the beer, Sebastian touched her gently on the shoulder. ‘Hey, Abigail.’

She looked up at him in surprise, jolted from her gaming trace. Bright spots of pink appeared in her cheeks. ‘Hi, Seb.’

Abruptly, she turned back to her game, unpausing and letting tiny video game bullets fly across the screen. Sebastian continued past to his beer, and once it was safely in his grasp he took a long, long swig, draining half the glass in seconds.

The bitter liquid helped to numb things in the worst of moments, he had discovered a few years past. When he was dark, and despairing, the beer would numb the worst, would keep the darkest thoughts at bay even if just for a few hours more.

It was exactly what Sebastian needed after the embarrassing encounter with Avery.

The evening passed, Sebastian and Sam playing game after game whilst Abigail played the arcade machines. The boys took turns bringing in fresh pints, and eventually they slumped onto the sofa, Sam crowing in triumph as they tallied the pool scores.

‘And the little guy wins – AGAIN!’ He punched the air as he spoke, slopping his beer over his t-shirt…and Sebastian.

He grimaced in disgust and shoved his friend away. ‘Dude, what the hell?’

Sam giggled, slumping over the sofa. Abigail turned towards them. ‘What happened?’

Sebastian sighed. ‘Sam’s drunk. Again.’ He still felt relatively sober, albeit irritated with his friend, and he pushed himself off the couch. ‘I’m going to grab a napkin.’

The bar was surprisingly quiet, and as he headed towards Gus he caught sight of the clock. Nearly midnight. Gus was wiping glasses, and he scowled as the boy approached.

‘Young man, after the number of pints I have served you and your friend, I hope you haven’t repaid that by making my games room a mess.’

Sebastian smiled weakly. ‘Yeah.’ He pointed to the napkins. ‘Can I get some of these?’

Gus wasn’t listening, however; he had spotted something at the other end of the bar. Sebastian watched as the bartender hurried to pick it up.

‘Aw, crap,’ he heard Gus mutter. Holding up a faded photo, he pointed at Sebastian. ‘You. You know where Avery lives?’

Um. Sebastian nodded.

‘This is hers,’ Gus continued. He sighed. ‘She’s left it here, the silly girl. Go and drop it off, will ya?’ He winked. ‘I’ll clean up your friend in return.’

That sounded like a fine deal to him. Sebastian grabbed the photo and, collecting his jacket from the games room, he said a quick goodbye to Abigail and Sam before leaving the Stardrop Saloon.

It was a warm night in the Valley, and Sebastian unzipped his jacket as he crossed the Square, revealing, unusually for him, a bright white t-shirt underneath. It was the only shirt he owned that wasn’t grey or black, a fact that Robin often bemoaned, although thanks to Sam it now had a lovely beer stain down one side.

As he walked to the farmland, Sebastian could hear an owl hooting nearby, and a light shadow drifted over him as it flew into the path of the moonlight. In the corner of his eye, he could see the flickering, dancing lights of fireflies, and they seemed to light his path as he reached Avery’s little cottage.

The house was dark, and Sebastian stepped up gingerly to the porch. Was she even home? The thought was a puzzling one; it was just gone midnight. Where was she? He took a step towards the window and peered in.

Ah. The fire was lit, casting flickering shadows across the figure that was huddled under a blanket on the couch. He tapped on the window, once, twice, and Avery looked up suddenly, the sadness in her eyes wiped away with a quick hand as she rose to open the door.

‘You know it’s midnight?’ she asked him when the door was open. ‘What are you doing here?’

There was none of her usual energy, none of her ‘spark’, and Sebastian hesitated, suddenly unsure.

‘You, um… you left this photo at the Stardrop,’ he said, pulling it from his pocket. ‘Gus found it, wanted me to bring it back for you.’

Avery stared at him, and to his horror her eyes seemed to fill with tears. Wordlessly, she took the faded photograph from his hand, their fingers brushing as she moved, and showed it to him.

It was an old man, his white hair a halo around his face as he beamed down at the two children on his lap. The little girl had a wild frizz of red hair, a gap-toothed smile as she smiled back up at her grandfather. The boy, with his crop of dark brown fuzz, was several years younger, only a toddler, and he seemed to be staring concernedly at the cameraman. There was no doubt that they were siblings; both had the same vivid green eyes.

Sebastian looked back up at Avery. ‘Is this your brother?’

She nodded, a sad smile appearing as a tear spilt down her cheek. ‘Today is his birthday.’

He didn’t know what to say. ‘I’m sorry. Is he back in the City, or…?’ The question tailed off as she laughed.

‘Yes, he is.’

Without another word, she turned back into her house, and Sebastian surprised himself by reaching out and grabbing her wrist.

‘I…I’m sorry.’ Why, he didn’t really know, but it was the sort of thing you said to sad people, right? Avery looked at his hand, and then up at him.

Then she threw her arms around him and hugged Sebastian tightly for a second. He froze, caught unawares.

She was short enough that her head could fit underneath his chin – although Sebastian, over six feet tall, was well used to that. Her red hair was loose again, and it tickled his nose, but he didn’t care. Her heart was beating painfully fast against his chest, and he could feel his own heart beating faster in return.

She smelt like cinnamon.

After a moment, Avery pulled away, and Sebastian was oddly glad to see her beaming smile return.

‘Thanks for bringing this back,’ she said, grinning. ‘It was really kind of you.’

This time, when she stepped back and closed her front door, Sebastian let her. He watched through the window a moment longer, and saw her settle back down in front of the fire.

Then he turned, and headed for home.

And as he walked, he smiled.


	4. Spring 28th. The Elephant in the Room

The last two weeks of Spring passed in an orderly fashion. Sebastian had been given a new programming contract, one that was so riddled with bugs and ill-written code that it kept him working almost until dawn. He barely emerged from his room except to eat, and he was tired enough during the day that he was mostly left undisturbed.

Robin’s shop was busy, too. Avery had allegedly been in almost every day, asking for furniture, or spare metal scraps, or even discussing plans for buildings with his mother. Sebastian was not entirely unaware of his mother’s budding friendship with the farmer. Once or twice, he had emerged from his room, yawning and stretching, into the sterile light of the kitchen – only to find Avery and Robin sitting, drinking coffee.

The first time it had happened, Sebastian hadn’t even really realised just who was sitting next to his mother. He made it all the way to the fridge before he realised, blearily, that he was in nothing but a pair of pyjama bottoms, and promptly smacked his head on the top of the fridge.

‘Holy mother-‘ he sputtered, feeling his cheeks flame with embarrassment. His mother was sniggering, hiding her face with her hand as he extracted himself from the fridge, and locked eyes with Avery. She was staring, mouth agape, and her face, dotted with tiny brown speckles from the sun, was almost as red as her hair.

‘Morning,’ she stammered out eventually, looking across at Robin and breaking into a smile as she looked back at him. ‘Good sleep?’

That did it. Without another word he fled, diving back into the depths of his bedroom and slamming the door shut behind him. It would be another hour before he emerged warily back into daylight. Avery was long gone.

Sam and Abigail were, thankfully, unaware of these encounters, and he was grateful for that. Although he was often working late, his friends still came over to game and to distract him. Abigail had taken to bringing him pizza, and was often there far earlier then Sam ever was. In turn, Sam brought over bottles of beer and cola, and the three of them often spent an entertaining evening playing video games or watching movies.

Finally, after nearly two weeks of hard work and sleepless nights, Sebastian finished his contract. Gleefully he sent it back to the programmer who had requested his help, and headed upstairs to grab some well-deserved grub.

Robin was washing the dishes in the kitchen, chatting away to Demetrius as he sat with the paper and a cup of coffee. Both fell silent as he entered.

‘Morning, Sebby,’ Robin said cautiously. ‘You’re up early. Bad night at work?’

Sebastian shook his head, and Robin’s mouth fell open in a pink ‘o’ of shock as he grinned at her. ‘I finished. I finally finished that goddamn contract!’ He couldn’t remember the last time a piece of work had aggravated him so. Demetrius raised his cup to him.

‘Well done, Sebastian,’ he said, a broad smile on his face. ‘You’ve worked incredibly hard these last couple of weeks. In fact…’

He rummaged in his pocket, and Robin protested weakly as he drew out his wallet and took out a fifty-dollar bill. He held it out to Sebastian.

‘Go and treat your friends to a drink on me.’ He winked. ‘Maybe even find Avery and invite her along.’

Sebastian nodded, taking the money silently. Avery.

The work had managed to distract him during the night from thinking about her. The memory of the fridge incident was still fresh in his mind, and just thinking about it made his skin crawl. It had been so embarrassing. Not that he’d mentioned that to anyone – Abigail and Sam would have died of laughter had they found out. Now, however, there was nothing stopping him from thinking about it. He groaned inwardly.

‘Sebby. Sebastian!’

His mother’s voice drew him back into the present. ‘Yes, Mom?’

‘Seeing as you’re done with work, perhaps you can run an errand for me.’ She smiled as Sebastian rolled his eyes.

‘It’s nothing serious, darling, but I do need some things taken over to Avery’s at some point today.’ She moved to the coffeemaker and poured herself a cup as she spoke. ‘Lewis needs some work done on his rooftop and that’s going to take all day as it is. I don’t have time to make a delivery.’

Demetrius returned to his newspaper. ‘Besides, it’ll do you a whole lot of good. Get some sunshine.’

The dismissal was clear, and Sebastian trudged back to his room to take a shower and generally clean himself up. Eventually, he re-emerged, damp hair sticking to the side of his face and neck, dressed in his usual gloomy attire.

Robin had already left for the mayor’s house, and there was a smallish package waiting on the counter of the shop. ‘AVERY’ was written in large red letters. Gingerly, he lifted it, and was pleasantly surprised to find it lightweight. He was glad for that.

The sun blazed down on him as he walked to the farm. It was terrifically hot, and after just a few short minutes he was forced to take off his jacket, draping it over his arm instead. He took the back route this time around, and as he crested the hill that overlooked the farm he saw Avery, kneeling in her small vegetable patch.

She seemed hard at work, and he continued down the hill she straightened up, mopping her brow with the back of her hand.

‘Avery!’ he called out. She turned, shading her eyes against the sun, and grinned as she saw who it was.

‘Howdy,’ she answered. ‘What brings you to my neck of the woods?’

Sebastian slowed to a halt next to her, and handed over the package. ‘Mom wanted me to drop this off,’ he said. Sweat was beading on his forehead and he wiped it away, pushing his hair off his face in the process.

Avery, meanwhile, had dropped the package on the ground. She knelt, and drawing a pocketknife from her dungarees, she began to hack at the paper, and grinned as the gleam of metal showed through the rip.

‘Ah, cheers,’ she said. ‘Just what I needed.’ Without another word she rose, cradling the open package in her hands, and headed towards the cottage. As she reached the door, she turned back to Sebastian, and jerked her head.

‘Aren’t you coming?’

He didn’t really have a choice, and Sebastian followed Avery into her cottage.

It was tiny, little more than a two roomed house. In the corner, covered with a bright patchwork quilt, was a single bed. A hob and a sink stood next to the fireplace, as well as a tiny fridge to boot. The sofa, in daylight, was raggedy and looked about ninety years old. There was no television, just a small radio that rested on the windowsill.

The floor in the centre of the room, however, was taken up by a large tarpaulin, upon which rested hundreds of pieces of copper wire, broken lightbulbs, and other fragments of metal. Sebastian’s jaw fell open.

‘What _is_ all this?’ he asked, crouching to examine a patchwork of steel. Avery shrugged, kneeling beside him.

‘Something I’ve been working on the past few weeks,’ she said, upending the package over the plastic. She began to rummage through it, her nimble fingers deftly sorting and sizing up screws and bolts.

‘I’ve been collecting scrap metal since I got here,’ she continued. ‘It’s just a pet hobby, something I did in the City. Making sculptures or collages, that sort of thing. Mind you, anything was better than working in an office all day, ya know? I wasn’t too bad at it, either. Look.’

Eyes finally meeting his, Avery held up a small metal sculpture of an elephant, screws and bolts held together by a mesh of copper wire. She offered it to him. ‘Take it.’

Gently, she took his palm and placed the elephant on it. It was heavier than it looked, but Sebastian examined it closely.

‘This is amazing,’ he pronounced after a moment, and he genuinely meant it. It was ingenious. Avery flushed with pride.

‘Thanks. You really like it?’

Sebastian nodded seriously. ‘I wouldn’t lie about something like that.’

His grey eyes met Avery’s bright green for a moment, and then they both looked away, embarrassed. He cleared his throat.

‘I should, um, I should get going.’ Sebastian got to his feet, and Avery leapt up in response.

‘I should probably get back to work on the farm,’ she said, flustered. ‘I’ll show you out.’

Sebastian left her to it, and was halfway down the road before he realised that he was still clutching the metal elephant. He paused, considering, then slipped it into his pocket before heading over to Sam’s house. He needed a smoke.


	5. Summer 5th. Impromptu Swimming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a long one today, but I couldn't help myself!

Sebastian hadn’t told Sam about the elephant in the end, and now, sitting in his basement room a few days later, he still hadn’t made contact. He hadn’t gone outside since, in fact. There was no real reason for it; nothing untoward had happened, and indeed Sebastian had been in an oddly good mood since Avery’s – but he was out of energy. She was exhausting and puzzling to be around, and he was still unused to having the energy to cope.

Wisely, Robin had left him to it – even going so far as to bring him food for meals in a rare show of affection. She alone out of his family seemed to understand when the cloud descended it was impossible to remove, seemed to understand that he was incapable of anything until it drifted away of its own accord.

Of course, not even Robin could stop Hurricane Avery when it barricaded down the stairs one morning.

Sebastian had been perfectly happy asleep in his bed, his mind working its way through a peculiar dream of wizards and skeletons, when someone had shaken him gently by the shoulder.

‘Sebastian! Hey, you awake yet?’

Clearly, he wasn’t, and Sebastian scowled as he opened his eyes, then stiffened in shock as he realised the red-headed farmer was standing over him.

‘Morning!’ she grinned. ‘Your mom said I could come down and see you.’

He was still in shock.

_Avery was in his bedroom._

Suddenly, he became hyperaware of his surroundings; the mound of dirty laundry in the corner, the half empty coffee mugs stashed haphazardly around his room, the unfinished board game splayed on the rug. The metal elephant she had given him stood proudly on his desk by the computer.

Not to mention the fact that, once again, Avery was getting a fine view of his naked upper half. Sebastian squirmed back under the duvet, thanking Yoba he’d worn boxer shorts to bed.

Avery appeared not to notice his predicament (although privately Sebastian suspected it was out of kindness rather than ignorance), and as he slowly shook himself awake she crossed the room, leaping nimbly over the board game, and opened the small windows that allowed a little light into his basement bedroom. Outside, he could see a fragment of clear blue sky, and there was a bird singing sweetly just beyond the house.

Avery perched herself on a chair and stood on her tiptoes to look outside. ‘It’s so pretty outside!’ The rays of light were catching the edges of her hair, turning the strands a bright, gleaming gold. Despite his tiredness, a part of Sebastian realised that he wouldn’t get to go back to sleep, and he sat up, yawning.

‘Isn’t it too early for this?’ he asked her. Avery laughed, looking back at him from her lofty perch.

‘You know it’s like midday, right?’ she answered, hopping back down from the chair. ‘It’s beautiful outside today and it’s my first day off really since I got to Pelican Town and I just – have you ever seen a more perfect day to explore the town?’

Avery was still beaming, and Sebastian realised that he couldn’t say no. More to the point, he didn’t really want to say no. He nodded in surrender, sighing. ‘I suppose I can show you a place you might not know about.’

She clapped her hands in delight. ‘Oh, Seb, thank you!’ she exclaimed, bustling back to the door. ‘I’ll wait for you upstairs – ooh, do you need breakfast or something?’

Sebastian grinned, shaking his head. ‘Nah, just give me a few minutes and I’ll be up.’

Avery nodded, before leaving him to his morning routine.

Sebastian leaped out of bed and after grabbing his towel took a quick, hot shower. The water stung his skin with the heat of it, but Sebastian had to admit he looked a damn sight better without the layer of grime you accumulated when hibernating for days on end.

Quickly checking the weather outside, he flung on some clothes – the customary black jeans and biker boots – before eventually picking a light grey shirt to wear underneath his hoodie. Grey was certainly an outlandish colour for him, the goth of Stardew Valley but Sebastian had to admit all his time working on the motorbike was really beginning to show. The t-shirt was just plain flattering.

Fifteen minutes later, a clean, freshly laundered Sebastian climbed up the stairs from his room. He could hear laughter coming from the kitchen. Robin and Avery were sitting at the table, chatting away, and Robin looked up as he came in.

‘Morning, Mom,’ he said as he entered, giving his mother a kiss on the top of her head. ‘Thanks for the wake-up call this morning.’

Robin beamed up at him. ‘Not a problem, Sebby.’ As he made a quick cup of coffee, Avery downed her mug.

‘No time, Seb!’ she said, suddenly jumping upright. ‘We’ve only got half a day left!’

Robin couldn’t help but laugh as Sebastian was dragged out of the kitchen by the tiny Avery, only half-heartedly protesting as he left his steaming mug of coffee behind on the counter.

Sebastian winced as he was dragged into the bright light outside the Carpenter’s Nook. Avery was grinning, a smile playing about her face as she stared at him.

‘Where first then, town boy?’ she asked, putting her hands on her hips. Sebastian stared back for a moment, then gave her a rare grin as a light bulb came on.

‘We gotta go north,’ he said, beginning the trudge uphill. He wasn’t one for talking on his walks, and after a moment Avery fell into step beside him. The two walked in silence, until Avery stopped in wonder, gasping at the view.

‘It’s _beautiful!’_

Sebastian stopped and turned to look at her, before following her gaze outwards. They were a hundred feet or so above the rest of the town, and from this height you could see much of the Valley. The town square was nestled in the middle of the buildings, and as they watched one of the figures below waved a tiny arm at them. Avery waved back, grinning even wider. Looking over to the west, Sebastian could see Avery’s farm, and although the crops were still small in number, the corn was growing high and tall. Above it all was the shimmering blue sky, and the sun that coated all it saw in gold.

‘It is,’ Sebastian agreed, surprised. ‘I’ve never really looked at it from here before.’

He could see Avery looking at him in surprise from the corner of his eye, but he kept his gaze steadily on the horizon, seeing the Gem Sea turning all the colours of the jewels it was named for.

‘Come on,’ he said eventually. ‘We should keep going if we want to make it before sundown.’

They climbed for another half an hour before the two eventually reached the plateau. There was a tent pitched at one end, amongst the small grove of trees, but Sebastian ignored it, instead making his way towards a channel cut into the rock with rough-hewn steps leading to a higher level still.

Avery stopped. ‘Where the hell did that come from?’ she asked, pointing at the passageway. ‘That was not here three days ago.’

Sebastian snorted. ‘That’s because it only opened up two days ago, genius. Happens every year.’ He kept walking, and eventually Avery scurried to catch him up. The two of them clambered up the steps until they entered another clearing, one that Sebastian normally deemed as his private sanctum.

It wasn’t much to look at, he supposed, but the ruined train platform, and the ramshackle Spa were quiet and abandoned. No one else ventured this high into the hills, and Sebastian smiled as Avery darted about.

‘This is amazing!’ she proclaimed breathlessly, beaming from ear to ear. ‘Thank you, Seb, thank you!’

He shrugged, smiling. ‘No problem, Avery.’ There was a moment of silence between them, and then Avery turned, pointing towards the Spa.

‘What’s in there?’

She didn’t really seem to be waiting for an answer, and before Sebastian could open his mouth she had already taken off towards it.

She disappeared through the door as he approached, and Sebastian entered into an empty atrium.

‘Avery?’

His voice echoed, but he could hear her whooping with delight through the double doors. So she had found the pool, had she?

Sebastian pushed his way through the empty changing rooms, and as he entered the pool room he saw her perform a graceful dive into the water. Avery came up after a second, gasping for air, and swam over to the side where he stood, water turning her red hair the colour of dark wine and trickling down her face.

‘You’re nuts,’ he told her honestly. ‘Isn’t it freezing?’

Avery shook her head. ‘Surprisingly, no,’ she answered, before raising a hand out of the water. ‘Help me out?’

Sebastian nodded and knelt down, reaching out his arm to steady her. It happened in an instant; a wicked gleam in Avery’s eye, the realisation that she was far stronger than she appeared, and then he was coming up for air and gasping for breath, water flattening his hair over his face.

‘What?’ he spluttered. Avery was leaning her elbows on the side, laughing as if she were fit to burst.

‘Your face,’ she giggled. ‘I can’t believe that worked!’

Sebastian snorted, sending a wave of water towards her. It caught Avery face first, and she disappeared briefly under the water before rocketing back to the surface and splashing him in return.

The two had what Sebastian would later determine as the greatest water fight of all time, until eventually they had pulled themselves out of the water, and collapsed on the tiles with a gasp.

‘That was ridiculous,’ Sebastian laughed. ‘You’re such an idiot.’

Avery snorted. ‘You’re just jealous because I won and you got your ass handed to you.’

Sebastian raised his hands in mock protest. ‘I let you win, Farmer. Next time I won’t go so easy on you.’

Avery quieted at the mention of a next time, turning suddenly sombre, and Sebastian felt like he’d been punched in the gut. She didn’t speak for a moment, simply stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. After a moment she sat up.

‘I should go.’

Sebastian sat up abruptly as Avery rose to her feet, and he scrambled up as she began to walk back towards the entrance, her shoes squelching with each step. Silently, he followed her, and what had seemed like a fun summer afternoon now felt pathetic in the fading light of day. Sebastian felt crap as he trailed behind her, and although Avery’s hair had dried to its natural wild curls, there was none of the usual bounce.

They came to a halt at the Carpenter’s nook, and the setting sun did nothing to chase away the shadows that played about in Sebastian’s mind. Had he crossed a line? Had he upset her?

‘Avery,’ he began, and she looked up at him, silencing him where he stood. Gently, slowly, she rose up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. Her lips were soft, and his skin tingled where they touched.

She drew back swiftly, and Sebastian stood rooted to the ground as she stepped away. Her voice was shy.

‘See you around, Seb.’

He watched her go, even more confused than before. What the hell did _that_ mean?


	6. Summer 6th. Awkward Encounters of the Third Kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I'm well aware it's been a while and I am so so sorry. University is taking a big chunk out of my life, and depression has taken the other half. But I'm back now! An extra long chapter to make up for it.

‘So what happened next?’ Sam was skipping stones across the lake. He was annoyingly good – where Sebastian couldn’t even make a stone skip once, Sam managed to skip the stone five or six times before it disappeared into the water. ‘Did you go after her? Did you kiss her back? Ooh, did you catch her wrist as she turned away and spin her towards-‘

‘Sam. Shut up.’ Sebastian was in no mood for Sam’s teasing, or his not-so-secret addiction to cheesy romance novels. ‘I didn’t do anything. She just walked away.’

His friend let the stone fall from his hand. ‘Wait. You did nothing at all?’

Sebastian shook his head.

Sam rolled his eyes. ‘ _Dude_. You are so lame, seriously.’

Sebastian didn’t answer. If he was being honest with himself, he didn’t know what Avery’s kiss meant to him. It was nice, sure, and she was beautiful without a doubt; but her wild energy and her infectious enthusiasm for life was more than he could take.

‘I think we’re overthinking this, as usual,’ he said finally. ‘It was just a kiss.’

Without another word, he dropped his rock and dusted himself down. ‘I’ll see you later, Sam.’

Sebastian left his friend alone by the water’s edge as he walked away into town.

It was half an hour before he reached his favourite place in the Valley. The decrepit, abandoned building was full of cobwebs and dark corners – a quiet, restful place where he could listen to music and smoke without worrying about his mother finding out. He even had a stash – hidden in the strange little hut that someone had built and left behind.

Letting the door swing closed behind him, he trod lightly over the creaky floorboards. Sebastian liked the muffled silence that hung in the air in the Community Centre, and the creaky floorboards pierced the fog like an arrow to the brain.

Dropping to his knees, Sebastian crawled into the leaf covered hut, a tiny space just big enough for him to sit and smoke. He sat cross legged, and pulled out his phone, scrolling through his music for a decent beat. Eventually his headphones began to throb with the bass, and he stuck them in his ears before lighting up a cigarette.

Sebastian often lost track of time when hiding out in the Community Centre. Not even Sam knew he dared to venture in here; it was a place where he could switch his mind off and lose track of time.

It took four cigarettes and an entire album of music before he felt the worries about Avery subside. It was nothing more than a friendly kiss. They had had fun at the Spa, _like friends_ , and that was all it needed to be.

‘Overthinking as usual, Sebastian,’ he said out loud. His voice echoed in the hut, but as the song faded in his ears he heard the sound of movement from outside.

With a soft grunt, the front door creaked open, and Sebastian froze as a pair of boots clumped across the floor. They moved past him, and down the hall, and as he snatched the headphones out of his ears a soft breeze ruffled his hair. A chorus of whispers and what sounded like the rustling of leaves accompanied the sudden wind. An odd fear stole over Seb – more like a presence, than a fear really – that he was suddenly unwelcome in the Centre.

Then, of course, something shoved him hard in the back and he fell out of the hut. The sound of him crashing into the floor brought the pair of boots running from down the hall, and as Sebastian sat up slowly he saw the bizarre sight of Avery with what looked like –

‘Is that a sword?’

Avery sighed in relief at the sight of him, and hastily sheathed the blade in a scabbard at her side.

‘Sorry, Seb. I thought it was something from the mines that followed me out.’

‘The mines?’ Maybe he’d hit his head. That would explain a lot.

A soft chirrup echoed around the room and he scrambled to his feet. ‘What the hell was that?’

Avery chuckled, and turned behind her. ‘It’s okay, Aidis. He won’t bite.’

Sebastian watched, stunned, as a tiny green blob emerged from behind the farmer. With two stubby legs, and big black eyes, it reminded him of a very pudgy chicken. There was another soft cheep, and Aidis vanished from sight.

Sebastian’s knees gave out.

‘What the hell?’ he gasped. Avery rushed to him, and knelt beside him.

‘I promise, they won’t hurt you!’

‘ _They?!’_

Avery shrugged, pointing at the hut that Sebastian hid his stash in. ‘They’re called the Junimos. They live in the Centre. I’m hoping to offer them a better place soon but until then, they’re stuck here.’ Her nose wrinkled. ‘Wait, what’s that smell?’

Turning her head, she spotted the stubs of Sebastian’s cigarette almost immediately, and her cheeks flushed with anger.

‘Have you been SMOKING in here?’ she demanded, turning to look at Sebastian. ‘What is wrong with you?! The Junimos can’t stand nicotine! It’s really bad for them!’

‘I didn’t know they existed!’ he protested weakly. ‘How would I know?’

‘Because it’s bad for you and it’s bad for the environment, you idiot,’ she snapped. ‘What a stupid thing to do.’

Without another word she strode to the front door and flung it open. ‘Get out,’ she ordered. ‘Don’t come back here. This is their place.’ She disappeared through the door, and Sebastian hurried after her.

‘Avery, I’m sorry!’ he called out, but she was already hurrying away, disappearing into the growing darkness as night rose. Sebastian swore colourfully, then shut the Centre door behind him.

‘Avery!’

There was no response.

_Great job, Sebastian. Really stellar performance._ Kicking a pebble away savagely, Sebastian jammed his hands in his pockets and began the walk home. Passing the trash can, he paused, before eventually dropping off his half full carton of cigarettes.

From the bushes, a pair of black beady eyes watched him leave.


	7. 8th Summer – Part 1. Suck it Up, and Apologise

Sebastian gave it a couple of days before he dared to venture towards Avery’s farm. He was in the wrong, he knew that much, and he needed to apologise to Avery. But he deserved some answers of his own.

For example, the tiny magical creatures that lived in the Community Centre. And Avery’s sword.

Where did she even get a sword?

He paused at the gate, absentmindedly tracing the freshly painted sign that proclaimed this to be Forget-Me-Not Farm, before taking a breath and heading towards the cottage. The house seemed still, and silent, but as he approached the front door he could hear the tinny music of a radio. Sebastian raised his hand and knocked once, twice.

Abruptly, the music cut off, and the door swung open. Avery appeared in the opening, her face flushed, her chest heaving as her hair, free of its usual ponytail, framed her face. It seemed to spill down onto her shoulders, and for the first time Sebastian noticed it had grown in length, the weight of it pulling her ringlets into loose curls.

As she realised who it was, however, her smile faded. ‘What do you want, Sebastian?’

The air almost seemed to chill at her hostility, and he almost took a step away.

‘Um,’ he stammered. ‘I wanted to – to talk to you. To, um, apologise.’

Avery arched a brow and leant against the doorframe, folding her arms against her chest. ‘It’s not me you need to apologise to.’

Sebastian nodded. ‘I know. But they wouldn’t come out for me. I was hoping you could intercede.’

Avery started back, surprised. ‘You already went?’

He nodded. ‘Well, yeah. Threw away my cigarettes and everything,’ he added ruefully, a smile appearing in the corner of his mouth.

She looked up at him then, really looked up, and Sebastian became suddenly aware of how close she was standing to him.

Avery seemed oblivious to his embarrassment, and tilted her head thoughtfully. After a moment, she clapped her hands together.

‘Okay. Just let me get some things and then we can go.’

She disappeared back into the cottage, and after a moment of hesitation Sebastian followed.

The room certainly hadn’t gotten any bigger since he had last been here, but now almost every corner of it was crammed with crates and chests and boxes.

‘Wow,’ he commented. ‘The rest of your stuff arrive?’

Avery shrugged as she began to rummage. ‘Some of it. The rest of these crates,’ and here she waved a hand at the far wall, ‘is stuff I’ve picked up around the Valley.’

Around the Valley? Sebastian stared at the dozens of chests that lined the walls, that sat on the couch. It occurred to him that you could play an excellent game of ‘The Floor is Lava’ in here, and he chuckled under his breath.

Avery turned to look at him quizzically, mischievous eyes gleaming underneath her bangs. ‘What’s so funny?’

He shrugged, still smiling. ‘Just thinking.’

Avery smiled despite herself, and then grinned properly as she pulled out a sword from the chest. ‘I knew it was this one!’

He watched, staring, as she turned back and pulled out a scabbard. Measuring it for length, Avery nodded and buckled it to her belt, deftly sheathing her sword in a fluid movement.

‘I’m going to need an explanation for that,’ he murmured, staring at the shining hilt.

Avery laughed. ‘We can talk on the way to the Centre.’

A few minutes later, the two of them were walking back along the path that led into town, Sebastian sweating in his heavy leather jacket, Avery enjoying the breeze in her shortened dungarees.

As they walked, Sebastian kept sneaking a glance at the attachment to her belt. It seemed totally out of place with everything he knew about her – which, he reminded himself, was not much. In another glance, he noted her wrists and fingers were adorned with shimmering bracelets and rings. If he listened closely, it was almost as if he could hear a faint humming in the back of his mind.In a third, he saw the boots she wore; tough, heavy-duty things that looked more like they belonged on a battlefield that in Pelican Valley.

‘Getting a good look?’ Avery asked, and Sebastian jumped, flushing. He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed at being caught staring.

‘Sorry,’ he muttered, before gesturing to her strange get-up. ‘But you can’t really expect me not to ask, can you?’

Avery slowed to a halt, and he did the same, turning to look at her as she looked up at him.

‘You can’t tell anyone,’ she said, suddenly. ‘If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone anything – even Sam, okay?’

She took a step closer as she spoke. He swallowed hard, his every nerve suddenly on edge. He hadn’t realised quite how much shorter she was.

‘I promise.’


	8. 8th Summer, Part 2: Like Lightning

There was a moment when everything seemed to go still. Even the birds in the trees ceased their song; the wind amongst the leaves paused in its play.

For one, shining moment on the dirt path, it was just Sebastian and Avery, the tall shadow and the short sunbeam. For one moment, he wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms, and hold her against him; feel her heart beat against his, feel her mouth against his, feel _her_ ¸ in all her brightness.

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck him, Sebastian would muse later on, back in the quiet safety of his room. How had he not seen her before? Really seen her, really felt the air electrify in her presence?

But did she want that, want him? Avery was arrested midmotion, looking up at him from underneath her lashes, her red curls spilling wildly over her shoulders. Those curls. He wanted nothing more than to entwine his fingers amidst them.

A cloud passed over the duo, and the spell was broken. Avery stepped back, and Sebastian realised he was leaning towards her. Clearing his throat abruptly, he righted himself, feeling a flush creep up his neck as he gestured towards the town.

‘Lead the way, then.’ His voice came out a little hoarse, gruffer than usual, and Avery cast a curious glance at him before beginning to walk again.

The two walked in companionable silence until they reached the outskirts of the town. It was midmorning, and the townsfolk were bustling about their day. Sebastian had been heading for the square, aiming to walk through and head to the centre, but suddenly Avery grabbed his hand, changing direction and hauling him towards the children’s playground up on the hill.

It was empty; of course, all the kids in Pelican Valley were at school on a weekday. Bemused, Sebastian let Avery pull him along, protesting weakly.

‘We’re not kids, Avery, surely…’

She laughed, and he realised it was only the second time he’d ever heard her laugh. Just like before, it was a bell chime, a sound of pure and total joy. It made him grin, and he chuckled reluctantly as she vaulted the fence and made a beeline towards the swings.

Planting herself firmly on one of the seats, she began to push herself, using her legs to swing higher and higher until the old set was creaking under the motion.

‘Come on, Seb!’ she shouted in delight. ‘You gotta see the view from up top!’

How long had she been doing this? Sebastian shook his head. ‘I’m not a little kid,’ he called back. ‘I get on one of those swings, it’ll break!’

Avery threw out her legs, stopping herself as much as she could before flinging herself out of her seat. Sebastian tensed, but relaxed as she hit the ground in a crouched position.

‘You’re missing out,’ she commented. ‘Great view of the sea from up there.’

He snorted. 'I doubt that.'

Avery grinned. 'One day I'll get you up to see the view.'

Without waiting, she jumped back over the fence and headed for the community centre, pausing en route to collect a handful of berries from the bushes.

‘What’ll that do?’ Sebastian asked, curious.

She looked back at him as they reached the shaded entrance. ‘It’ll draw them out of hiding.’ Her eyes lit up, suddenly. ‘It’ll work better if it’s you, actually. Hang on.’

Gently, she reached for his hand, and turned it so that the palm was facing up towards the sky. She trickled the berries from her hand into his, and as she focused on not dropping any Sebastian found himself fascinated, _again_ , by that spray of freckles that dotted her nose and under her eyes. It was maddening.

‘Uh…Seb?’

Oops. Busted.

‘Sorry, was just…thinking,’ he muttered. Avery rolled her eyes.

‘You can’t mess this up, Seb,’ she warned. ‘If the Junimos decide not to forgive you it’ll make your life a whole lot harder.’

Her eyes softened, and she smiled. ‘If they forgive you, then I’ll explain the get up. Until then, you need to focus and trust me, okay?’

Sebastian nodded, pushing his hair off his face as he did so. Avery grinned.

‘You have a nice face under all that hair,’ she commented, before turning to push open the door to the Centre.

It swung open with an ominous creak, and Sebastian watched as his friend slipped inside, into the shadows. Well. Time to do or die.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed his way through the doors and into the gloom. Avery was sitting by the – Junimo, was it? – hut, resting on her knees. She looked at him as he entered and gestured for him to sit with her. Sebastian wasn’t the most graceful of people, and he settled himself with a thud that shook the floorboards.

From a mysterious corner of the room, there came an indignant squeak. Sebastian jumped, and looked at Avery in alarm. She shrugged, eyes sparking at his discomfort, and pointed at the hut.

The meaning was clear. _Get on with it._

Sebastian cleared his throat. ‘Ahem.’ The noise seemed to stir the air into action; tension flooded the room, and he suddenly had the oddest feeling that he was being watched by hundreds of pairs of eyes.

‘Um. I’m Sebastian,’ he began, feeling foolish. ‘I’m the one who’s been smoking in your, um, your house? If that’s what it is? But, well, I’ve been told you don’t like smoking because it’s really bad for you, so…I’m sorry. I’m really sorry – I threw away the packet of smokes I had left, so I’ll stop properly if I can.’

Avery was beaming as he talked, but pointed to the berries.

‘OH! Oh, yeah! I brought you guys some berries? If you want them?’

Gently, he leaned forward and piled them in front of the hut, before settling back.

‘I really am sorry,’ he finished.

Avery chirruped.

It was such an odd sound that he turned to look at her in disbelief. What in the name of Yoba?

Avery grinned, blushing a little as she chirruped again.

And then, slipping out of the shadows, a yellow blob appeared in her arms. She cooed, delightedly, and the blob wriggled as she tickled it with a finger.

There came an answering chirrup, and Sebastian leapt back as he turned to see a blue blob and a red blob attacking the berries.

The Junimos were real, after all. Avery wasn’t crazy, or making it up. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t believed the crazy story – but part of him had wondered whether this was all some part of an elaborate fantasy she had created.

Big black beady eyes, with feathered beaks, the Junimos resembled flightless birds more than anything else. Albeit flightless birds with tiny, stumpy legs. How did they move? He watched in fascination as the blue blob looked at him, and then shuffled towards him. It seemed to wriggle its way to him, before looking up at him and literally jumping into his lap.

‘Woah!’ It was more an exclamation of surprise than anything else, but watching Avery with her yellow Junimo, Sebastian reached out and hesitantly ran a finger through the downy fur. The blue wriggled in delight, letting out a chirrup of its own, and he laughed.

‘Looks like you’re off the hook,’ Avery whispered, and the Junimos all chirruped together, a delightful chorus of peeping.

Then, one by one, they seemed to vanish into the air, slipping into the spaces between the shadows and melting out of sight. It was just the humans left – but the air felt cool, and welcoming.

Dusting himself down, Sebastian got to his feet. ‘I’m glad they forgave me.’

He reached out a hand to Avery, who took it gratefully as she stood.

‘Me too,’ she agreed. ‘If they hadn’t, it would have made things a whole lot more complicated.’

Taking charge, she pulled him towards the front doors.

‘Where are we going?’ Sebastian asked.

‘I’ve still got some time to talk before I need to get going,’ Avery answered. ‘So we’re going to sit by the river and talk.’

She was still holding his hand, and Sebastian felt weirdly at ease with it. He didn’t like people touching him at the best of times – but Avery made him feel safe, even with all the bizarre shit she was clearly up to.

Fate clearly had other plans.

There was a great cry as the pair emerged from the Centre. To his surprise, Lewis was running towards them, surprisingly feisty for an old man.

‘Avery, thank Yoba, there you are! I need your help, desperately!’

Avery moved towards him, letting go of Sebastian’s hand as she went. ‘What’s the problem, Mayor?’

He flung his hands in the air. ‘Jas has disappeared – she’s only a little ‘un, and Marnie thinks she might have gone into the mines!’

Avery stilled.

‘The mines?’

Lewis nodded. ‘Marnie is back at my house, absolutely beside herself. I don’t want to leave her alone for too long, but I said I would fetch you and ask you to go and rescue her. You’re the only one brave enough to enter that horrible place.’

The mines. A mysterious place of monsters and terror. Even Sebastian had never wanted to venture there. Suddenly, her get up – the rings and bracelets, the gilded sword; it all made sense. She was a warrior as much as she was a farmer.

The realisation only made him like her more.

Avery swung back to look at him, but he was already nodding. ‘Go. We can talk another time.’

She looked at him gratefully. ‘I’ll find you at the Saloon on Friday. Alex’s birthday thing, yeah?'

Sebastian nodded again. ‘For sure. I’ll get you a drink or something, and we can talk.’

Avery was already on the move, but at his words she grinned. ‘It’s a date!’


	9. Friday 12th – Our First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Hope you're having a great summer. I didn't mean for this to become another two-parter, but honestly I'm enjoying writing so much I'm just putting as much as I can into Opposite! 
> 
> Also, the sheer number of kudos, of subscriptions and hits - it's humbling, guys. I wouldn't have the motivation to keep this going if it wasn't for you.
> 
> So thanks. Enjoy the party!

‘Okay, try the grey shirt again.’

Sebastian was trying hard not to panic. It was late afternoon, and the town party to celebrate Alex’s birthday was happening in an hour.

It was too bad his wardrobe was spilt over the entirety of his floor. Sam was sitting, cross legged, on his bed, watching Sebastian try out every combination of clothes he could.

‘So, are you gonna try and kiss her again?’ he asked. Sebastian shrugged.

‘How do I know?’ he answered. ‘We’re just gonna meet up at the party.’

‘Yeah, but IT’S A DATE.’ Sam was the champion of eye-rolls. ‘Her words, right?’

Sebastian nodded.

‘That means she WANTS you to kiss her, you fool! And do it properly, this time – I want to hear about fireworks and sizzling sparks, not our dear old Mayor and some interrupted moment!’

In the midst of pulling off his black tee, Sebastian paused, staring at his friend as he lounged on the bed.

‘You’re really weird, Sam. You know that, right?’

Sam’s mouth fell open, and he clutched at his heart, mocking his pain. ‘How cruel, to besmirch one’s best friend – nay, one’s _brother_!’

Sebastian shook his head, snorting as he reached for the already-tried grey shirt. It was a better fit than his others – the sleeves in particular made his arms, toned from hours of working on his bike in the garage, actually look good.

‘So, this one?’

Sam nodded, then leapt up and began to rifle through the wardrobe. He chucked a brown suede jacket in Sebastian’s direction; the latter caught it, and frowned at the colour.

‘Really? Brown?’

Sam grinned. ‘Trust me on this – a brown suede jacket will look SO MUCH COOLER than those heavy black leathers you’re used to hauling around.’

Trying on the jacket, Sebastian caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He looked – good. Cool, really, just like Sam had promised.

‘Okay, let’s get going.’

Sam pushed him aside, and checked himself out. Clad in denim from head to toe, he took out a comb from an inside pocket and ran it quickly through his gravity defying hair. Sebastian watched, arms folded and amused, as his friend leant in closer, checking his teeth before giving himself a quick grin in the mirror.

‘Let’s go!’

The sky was a dusky gold as the two finally made their way into the Square. Gus had outdone himself, as usual; the doors to the Stardrop Saloon (what even was a stardrop? Sebastian wondered) were thrown open, and the barman had hoisted several tables outside to form a loose square. There were three lampposts nearby, and Gus had festooned them with twinkling lights and streamers.

The place was packed – even Linus, the beggar who Sebastian sometimes took pity on, was invited, and as the pair arrived he saw Gus bring him a huge bowl of the Saloon’s staple dish – spaghetti bolognaise, heaped high with as many vegetables as the bowl could contain.

Alex, the birthday boy, was moving from table to table, a beer in his hand and a grin on his face. He looked up to see Sam and Sebastian standing there – a little awkwardly, naturally – and waved, beaming.

‘If it isn’t two-thirds of Pelican Town’s homegrown rock band!’ he called out. Several heads turned at the shout, and Sebastian half raised his hand to gesture at Penny and Abigail as they sat drinking at a small table together.

Sam grinned. ‘Alright, Alex? Happy birthday mate.’ He moved towards his friend and enveloped him in a bear hug, pounding him on the back.

Sebastian nodded to Alex as he was released, and his friend nodded back. ‘So, I don’t suppose you can be convinced to play a couple of songs tonight?’

He shook his head. ‘Not tonight, dude.’

Alex mock-pouted. ‘We’ll see how you feel after some of Avery’s home-brewed ale! That stuff is…’ he seemed lost for words, and winked at Sebastian. ‘She looks hot as hell tonight, by the way. Hopefully you’ll have a good time.’

Sebastian spluttered, choking on air as he felt his face flush. ‘Huh? Wh-what?’

Sam snorted. ‘Relax, man. I told Alex we had to make sure you and Avery get a little private time tonight. Now, go get a drink, and go get the girl.’

He moved away with Alex, leaving Sebastian standing by himself, on the edge of the square, looking in at the happy townsfolk. As he stood there, Abigail looked up, her face brightening as she saw him.

‘Hi, Seb!’

He smiled at her as she murmured to Penny before standing up and moving towards him. She, too, was drink free, although he had to take a second glance before he could fully comprehend what she was wearing.

Which wasn’t, well, _much_. Abigail had eschewed her normal wardrobe and instead had fully embraced her more adventurous side. Wearing a crop top that ended above her newly-pierced navel, with a flowing black skirt that fell to just above her knees, she sashayed towards him, a confident grin appearing on her face as several lads – some of Alex’s friends that Sebastian hadn’t met – sent appreciative glances her way.

‘You look great, Abigail,’ he commented as she drew closer. She smiled, tucking a stray purple curl back behind her ear.

‘Look who’s talking,’ she teased in answer. ‘New jacket? You really went all out.’ She reached out and stroked her hand down the arm. ‘Suede. Nice.’

He smiled. ‘Thanks. You want to go get a drink?’

She nodded, and jokingly Sebastian proffered his arm. Abigail beamed as she accepted, and he became uncomfortably aware that people were staring as they made their way inside the Saloon.

It was packed in here, too, and Abigail kept close to Sebastian as he shouldered his way towards the bar. The music was thrumming, a slow but insistent beat that kept time with his pace.

From the corner, Sebastian spotted Lewis and Marnie sharing a bottle of wine, and he smiled to himself. At least he wouldn’t be the only one on a date tonight.

‘What should we get, Seb? Pitcher to share?’

Abigail was looking up at him hopefully, and as he looked down at her two pink spots appeared high on her cheeks.

‘Or not. You know, we can just grab a beer each – just ‘hang’.’

Sebastian was only half listening as he scanned the room. The red curls were nowhere to be seen, and briefly he wondered if he’d been stood up.

‘Yeah, sure,’ he murmured. Abigail squeezed his arm, persisting.

‘Or a bottle of wine, maybe? We could grab a table for the two of us?’

He was still searching.

‘C’mon, don’t leave me hanging!’

It was meant as a joke, Sebastian realised, but as she heard herself Abigail coloured with shame, her tone pleading instead of laughing.

‘Actually, Abi, I’m…well, I’m meeting someone else tonight,’ he said, as gently as he could manage.

Her face fell, and she swiftly withdrew her arm.

‘Let me guess. You’re meeting Avery.’

He shrugged. ‘We’re just getting a drink together, that’s all. I can come find you later?’

Abigail snorted, hurt and disgust warring in equal measure across her face.

‘Well, Sam sure seemed to think it was a _date_.’

She spat the word at him, before turning and pushing her way back into the throng of people, disappearing from sight.

‘Abi – Abi, wait!’

Crap.

Sebastian had known that his childhood friend had had a crush on him; Sam had teased him regularly about it, knowing how uncomfortable it made him. But he hadn’t been aware his friendship with Avery had been such a sore sport.

Mind you, it wasn’t as if it was just a friendship. Not with the rapid onset of Feelings™ he had gained.

He looked around one more time, heart sinking as he realised that Avery was nowhere to be seen.

Emily appeared in front of him, her bright blue hair tucked neatly behind her ears.

‘Hiya, Seb! What can I getcha?’

He ordered a pint of ale, and sipped it slowly, frowning as he rested his elbow on the bar. Emily flashed him a sympathetic smile as she worked, but it was all she could afford; the Saloon was booming with Alex’s birthday, and she was run off her feet, even as Gus worked the drinks outside.

So he dragged over a barstool, and sat down, nursing his drink with his back to the party. He didn’t know how long he sat there, listening to the atmosphere of the party. The music was infectious; a pounding bass that resonated into his blood. Gus had managed to rig up some disco lights, and every blink of his eyes saw Sebastian in a different colour light.

‘BRO!’

Someone slammed into his back, and Sebastian reared back, turning furiously in his seat to see – Sam, a drink in each hand, swaying violently from side to side.

‘BRO, WHERE’S AVERY? DID YOU GUYS HOOK UP YET?’

Sebastian winced at the volume. But then again, the music was loud enough to drown out any conversation, so there were small blessings. Sam stumbled, and Sebastian helped him lean against the bar.

‘She didn’t show!’ he shouted. ‘I’ve been sat here on my own since Abigail tried to make a move!’

Sam stared at him, almost shocked sober. ‘SHE WHAT? SHE ACTUALLY MADE A MOVE?’

He laughed to himself. ‘WELL, I’LL BE DAMNED. ATTAGIRL!’

Sebastian shook his head. ‘No, man!’ he shouted, leaning towards Sam. ‘She was really upset! I told her I was meeting Avery!’

‘AVERY?’ Sam yelled. He took a swig from each drink he held. ‘MAN, SHE’S OUTSIDE. SHE’S BEEN OUTSIDE FOR LIKE HALF AN HOUR.’

What?

Sebastian didn’t bother to say goodbye to his friend; Sam was already chugging back one of his drinks and beginning to move towards the crowd of dancing people at the far end of the room. Pushing his way through towards the doors of the Stardrop Saloon, he emerged into a quieter, cooler atmosphere.

Where inside was a tangled, flushed mess of bodies dancing and drinking, outside was a more sedate affair; the tables were still bustling, and Gus had set up some sort of makeshift bar to serve from. But instead of a thumping dancing beat, there was a more gentle acoustic guitar playing from a corner. Elliott was crooning into the microphone, and again Sebastian spotted Marnie and Lewis, dancing together. As he watched, the Mayor flung out his arm, sending Marnie into a whirl in a flurry of skirts. She beamed as she spun back in, and the two continued to dance, seemingly unaware of the others around them.

Sebastian turned away, smiling at their happiness, and went still upon seeing the red haired girl in the green dress.

Avery was sitting alone, listening to the music, with a glass of wine sitting on the table beside her. Her hair, normally left to its own devices, was instead twisted in a tight ponytail, letting Sebastian catch a glimpse of the gold earrings that hung from her ears. There was a silver stud in the top of her left ear, too – as he moved closer Sebastian realised with a jolt that it was a tiny silver crescent moon.

‘Avery.’

It came out as a statement, not a question; it was a low and intimate greeting.

It was far more than he was going for, really.

She stood and turned at his voice, her face breaking into a smile as she saw Sebastian standing there.

‘Well, don’t you look dapper,’ she grinned.

‘You look beautiful,’ he answered. It was nothing more than the honest truth; she wore a green dress that came to a halt just above her knees, tied with a sash around her waist. She had forgone heels, instead preferring to stay tiny and short in golden flat shoes. Her smile grew wider at the compliment, and she moved towards him, stretching on her toes to kiss him on the cheek.

‘So, can I get you a drink?’

She gestured to the wine glass. ‘I beat you to it, but get yourself something and then come back to me.’

Come back to me. The words were said so easily, as if in her mind he was already part of her life. Sebastian smiled and nodded, before turning and walking to Gus’s trestle tables as fast as he could.

Elliott was still singing when he returned, and Avery looked up in surprise as a bottle of her own wine was placed in front of her.

‘This is from Forget-Me-Not!’ she exclaimed, eyeing the bottle. ‘I haven’t tried this one yet.’

Sebastian smiled. ‘I know. I asked Gus.’

She blushed at that, and he sat beside her, opening the bottle and pouring them both new glasses of wine.

They raised them at the same time, in a silent toast. Sebastian broke the eye contact first, tipping his glass back and letting the blueberry wine slip down his throat.

He swallowed, and started in surprise. ‘Hey, this is really good!’

Avery was already draining her glass, and wiped her mouth for stray drops of wine. ‘I know right! I had trouble with the blueberries to start with, but they actually turned out so good.’

Sebastian nodded, then leant back, feeling the alcohol flush through his system. He looked at Avery with a smile. Something told him tonight would be a good night indeed.


	10. Friday 12th, Part 2 - Giddy as a Schoolgirl

An hour later, Sebastian and Avery had made it through the bottle of wine. Elliott was still playing his guitar, and the combination of the music and the alcohol had made for a relaxed conversation between the two.

‘So, what was it like in the city?’ Sebastian asked, leaning back in his chair and taking off his jacket.

Avery shrugged. ‘Not great. I worked in this boring office for a couple of years – for Joja, of all people. Then, when I couldn’t take it anymore – well.’

She gestured around herself. ‘I quit and hightailed it out here.’

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. ‘It was as easy as that, huh?’

The redhead nodded. ‘For me, at least.’

He leaned forward at her comment, watching her expectantly.

Avery sighed. ‘Fine.’ She reached for her glass and drained the last mouthful of wine, tilting her head back and swallowing. He watched in almost an absurd fascination, looking at the muscles in her throat contract and tense as the liquid passed. She looked down again, and smiled at him, and he noticed that her lips had stained blue.

‘I don’t suppose you know my grandfather used to own Forget-Me-Not,’ she began, ‘But apparently the whole place used to be his. Mum never said anything about it to me, not when I was growing up…although I guess she would have lived here with him. I wonder if anyone – maybe Lewis…?’

Already Avery was going off-track, lost in her reverie, and Sebastian touched her hand lightly.

She jumped. ‘Sorry. Off in the stars.’

He grinned. ‘Your grandfather…he owned the farm.’

Avery nodded. ‘Yeah. So, he basically had a midlife crisis when he was about thirty-five, and bought the land. Quit his job in the city and moved out here to start a new life. Stayed here until my mum was about twenty-five and then the pair of them went back to the suburbs. I was born, my brother -um, he was born a few years after me, and then Grandpa died when I was about…six? Seven?’

Sebastian leaned forward slightly. ‘But that doesn’t explain how you ended up back here, in the Valley.’

‘OH!’ Avery leaned forward, balancing both of her elbows on the small table. There was a conspiratorial smile playing about her blue-stained mouth. ‘Well, if I didn’t do the same as my grandfather. Right before he died, we went to go visit him, right? Me and my mum, you know, and he gives me this sealed envelope.’

Sebastian snorted in disbelief. ‘This sounds like some grand old fairy tale.’

She laughed. ‘I know, right? But wait, it gets better.’

Avery shuffled her chair around to get closer to Sebastian, and tilted her head to whisper conspiratorially to him.

‘He gave me the envelope, and then he said to me ‘there will come a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life, and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness. When that happens, my little one, you’ll be ready for this gift.’’

As she spoke, a breeze picked up and brushed past the pair, sending Sebastian into a shiver. Avery smiled at him, stray pieces of her pinned up hair catching on the wind and floating.

‘How poetic,’ he murmured. Avery smiled shyly.

‘Indeed. So, as a six year old kid, I gave the letter to my mum for safekeeping and forgot all about it.’

Her smile faded. ‘Then, of course, Mum died last year, and the letter came back into my hands.’

A moment of abrupt sadness passed over her. Sebastian could see it align against her shoulders, see them stoop under the weight of the grief she still carried. Tentatively, he reached for her hand and held it, entwining their fingers together.

‘I’m sorry about your mum,’ he said softly. Avery looked away for a moment, then back at him, her smile bright with tears. She laughed.

‘Look at me, crying about my dead mum on a date! Sorry, Seb. I’m fine, I really am – once she died I opened the letter and found out it was a deed to the farm. Took me a few months to sell all my stuff in the city, but the funds were enough to get me out here and have some money to start the farm with once I arrived.’

She shrugged. ‘So that’s it. That’s Avery’s origin story.’

‘I like it,’ Sebastian answered immediately. She beamed at him, and squeezed his hand.

On a totally unrelated note, his stomach did an unexpected flip at the exact same moment.

They both paused, hesitating, before Avery laughed.

‘I’m glad you like it,’ she said, her face flushing as she looked at him.

Their faces were only inches apart. Sebastian could have counted every freckle on the redhead’s cheeks, could have counted every hazel speck in her gorgeous green eyes.  
He could have kissed her.

‘THERE HE IS! SEBASTSHUN…SEBASSS….SEB!’

Sebastian made a mental note to kill Sam when he was sober. He pulled back, not missing Avery’s glance of disappointment, and looked at his drunken friend who had emerged from the bar.

‘What, Sam?’ he said, huffing and retracting his hand hastily from Avery’s.

Sam was pissed. Beer had slopped down his neatly pressed shirt, his carefully gelled hair was now standing up lopsidedly, and there was a large lipstick mark on his face. ‘DUDE.’  
He fell to his knees besides Sebastian, and gripped his friend’s shirt. ‘DudewegottagoplaymusicyouneedtoplaythepianoforthebirthdayfortheBAND.’

Avery was looking at Sam with more than a slight measure of alarm. ‘Um, is he okay?’

Sebastian looked up at her, grimacing. ‘He does this a lot.’ He turned back to Sam, who was still clinging to the front of his shirt. ‘Dude. I’m not playing in the band tonight.’

‘BUT WHY?’ His friend cried out. ‘IbetitwouldhelpwithAveryandshemightactuallyletyoukissherbecauseyouneedtoKISSHERAGAINSESHBASTSHUN, AND YOU NEED TO PLAY.’

There followed a moment of deathly silence after Sam’s exclamation, and Sebastian made a mental note to kill Sam twice the next time he saw him.

‘Well.’

Avery got to her feet. Her cheeks were pink, almost as red as her hair. ‘I, um…I should probably be going now, anyway.’

Make that three times.

Sebastian leapt to his feet, and planted his hands on Sam’s shoulders. ‘Go find Gus, and sober up,’ he ordered, the command coming out in a bearlike growl. ‘NOW, Sam. Before I drown you myself.’

He released his friend, and Sam nodded, swaying violently, before turning around and toddling towards the exhausted looking barkeep. Sebastian turned back to Avery, an apology already bubbling out.

‘I’m so sorry, he gets like this-‘

‘No, no, it’s fine, really!’

But it wasn’t. Already, she was pushing her chair under the table, grabbing her purse and getting ready to run away.

‘Please, he didn’t mean any harm.’ It was a pathetic plea, and Sebastian winced as he heard it stumble from his tongue. ‘He was just trying to help.’

‘Help?’ That got her attention. The farmer flushed an even deeper shade of pink, and Sebastian belatedly noted the look of fury on her face. ‘What, he was being a wingman? Trying to help you score with me, was he?’

She didn’t wait for his stammering of an answer, instead turning around and marching into the Square, away from the party.

‘Avery!’ Grabbing his jacket, Sebastian darted after her. Yoba, she was fast – as he clattered after her she began to run, kicking off her shoes and arrowing across the Square in bare feet. He couldn’t be amused – right now he was frustrated, and as he began to build speed she slowed, until he could reach out and grab her wrist.

The two of them rocked to a halt, Avery squirming out of his grip and scowling. ‘Don’t touch me, Sebastian.’

‘You’re the one who said this was a date! Twice! All Sam was doing was rooting for me!’ he gasped between breaths. It was no good – feeling horribly unfit, Sebastian rested his hands on his knees, bending over and breathing until the sudden stitch in his side had lessened.

‘I’m sorry for telling my best friend that this was a date,’ he said eventually, straightening up. Avery hadn’t moved, standing a step away, her arms folded defensively as she watched him warily. ‘But – you said this was a date. I figured telling Sam was allowed.’

She watched him a moment longer, before sighing, uncrossing her arms. ‘I know, I know. I’m sorry.’

Her moods were baffling.

‘I just - I wasn’t expecting you to tell the whole town about it being a date.’

Wait. What?

She must have seen the confused expression on his face, as Avery shrugged. ‘I’ve just – there’ve been comments all week from people. Tonight I just wanted to have a good time with you and ignore them. But then Abigail, and Sam-‘  
‘Wait,’ he interrupted. He'd deal with the townspeople in the morning. ‘What did Abigail say to you?’

Avery shrugged. ‘It was more what she didn’t say. Made a catty remark about my dress, how you absolutely hated the colour green, and then just a lot of dirty glances whilst we were drinking.’ A pause. ‘She likes you a lot, you know.’

She’d been outside? Sebastian shook his head. ‘I didn’t see her outside for one moment. I promise – you were the only person I wanted to be with.’

It was an awkward statement, but it was the truth, and the honesty of the moment smoothed out any strangeness in his words. Avery’s mouth curved a little at his voice, and she patted down her dress, letting it fall back into place.

‘I was the only girl in the world, huh,’ she teased. ‘How flattering.’

Sebastian nodded, ignoring the humour. ‘You were the only girl at that party I wanted to be with, Avery, and that’s the truth.’ He took another step closer, and Avery stayed put, looking up at him.

‘Seb,’ she murmured. ‘I don’t want to cause more ripples than I’ve done already.’

‘I like green,’ he said softly.

Avery’s eyes seemed full of starlight as he bent to kiss her. It was a slow embrace; he bent as she rose onto her toes, and he rested his hands upon her jaw as their mouths met. It was a sweet kiss; she tasted of blueberries, and he smiled as he realised that her hands were creeping up his arms, reaching to entwine around the back of his neck.  
They met in his nape, and Sebastian murmured against her mouth as he felt her slim fingers twist in his hair. His own hands moved down, skimming her shoulders and resting at her waist as he pulled her closer against him. She was almost feverish in her warmth, and he could feel her heart beating madly in her chest. Sebastian pulled away, and opened his eyes to see her staring back at him.

‘Avery, if this isn’t-‘

That was as far as he got before she kissed him again. This time, she took control of the kiss, and where he had been slow and gentle, she moved like wildfire. Her mouth wasgentle but unyielding, and Sebastian startled himself by moaning as her tongue flickered across his bottom lip. She sighed in response, sighed into him, and he pulled her to him, opening his mouth a little in response and letting her tease her tongue to his. Heat flickered in the pit of his belly, and gently Sebastian tugged at her lower lip. She wriggled in response, and he dared to lift his left hand, letting it trace its way up her body and skim across her breast.

Avery pulled back at that, a startled gasp breaking the kiss into fragments.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said immediately. ‘Sorry. Won’t do it again.’

Maybe they were both a little drunker than he had thought.

‘I should probably get going,’ Avery said, echoing his thought. ‘It’s, um – this was really, really nice.’ She smiled shyly, and reached up to press her mouth against his once, twice, a third time before releasing her hands from around his neck.

‘Good night, Seb,’ she murmured, before turning and disappearing into the darkness. Or, not quite; the golden ring that rested on her finger seemed to glow in the darkness, creating an aura of gentle light that illuminated the farmer as she made her way home. He smiled. Of course, she would be wearing a magic ring.

Grinning, he turned and began to head back to the party. The night was still young, after all, and Sebastian intended to celebrate what had been one hell of a kiss.


	11. Summer 18th. Dammit, Sam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK! Wow. It's been a while. Here. Have an awkward conversation while I figure out what's happening with my life.

It was clear that Alex's party would go down in Pelican Town's history as one of the greatest parties of all time. The youngsters of the town had partied well into the day and afternoon, and even now, almost a week later, Sebastian was still riding high.

He hadn't seen Avery since - not that he'd been deliberately looking for her.

Of course not.

But he'd started to hang around the Carpenter's Nook a little more, offering to help Robin out behind the till whilst she worked around the Valley. Robin had been more than enthusiastic, and now that he wasn't so busy with his own work it was a way to pass the time and make a little extra money on the side.

But Avery hadn't come by, not even for a few spare planks of wood or plans for the long-awaited coop.

'Maybe she's avoiding you.'

Sam was keeping him company. The shop was quiet, and Sam had brought along his guitar. As Sebastian watched, his friend hopped up onto the counter, and began to strum, the strings ringing against the wood and echoing a stream of steady notes.

_'_ _Oh, Avery, your lips were so savoury-'_

With a groan, Sebastian pulled down his beanie over his ears. 'For the love of Yoba, Sam. Please. Shut up.'

The blonde grinned. 'I mean, it's the truth, isn't it? When you got back to the party you partied _hard_.'

He couldn't stop a smile of his own, and Sam snapped his fingers.

'I knew it!' He strummed a final, defiant chord. 'You _like_ her - and even if the date was a little... skewy, towards the end, turns out she liked you too.'

The bell rang as the door opened, and Sebastian blinked as he saw the familiar purple hair.

'Uh. Hey, Abi,' he said slowly. They hadn't spoken since the party, and she halted at his voice.

'Oh. I thought Robin was working here this morning,' she replied stiffly. 'Our house has a few loose tiles, and I got sent over to ask if she could come fix it.'

Sam slipped off the counter, tucking his hands in his pockets. 'I'm gonna go grab a drink, Seb. You want anything? Cup of Man-This-Is-So-Awkward? Or I'll-Be-Listening-Through-The-Door?'

Sebastian shook his head. 'Get out of here, Sam.'

His friend held up his hands in mock surrender. 'Alright, alright! I'm going. Sheesh.' He turned, winking at Abigail before slipping through the door that led to Sebastian's home, leaving the two of them standing uncertainly in the shop.

'So...how are you?'

She shifted, tucking a loose curl behind her ear before shoving her hands in her pockets. 'You know. Same old. Managed to clear that mid-level boss, finally. You?'

He shrugged. 'Recovered from a two day hangover from Alex's party. Been helping Mum out in the shop since - work's pretty slow at the moment so figured I could use the extra money.'

Abigail seemed intent on looking everywhere but at him, and Sebastian moved out from behind the counter. She took a step back. 'Please, Seb. Don't.'

He stopped, watching her, dark eyes wary.

'I just-' Abigail stopped herself, taking a shaky breath. 'I'm just so confused about the party.'

She looked at him from underneath her lashes, and Sebastian realised with a jolt that tears were beginning to bead at the corners of her eyes. 'I thought you liked me.'

'I do,' Sebastian answered immediately. 'You're one of my best friends, Abi, of course I like you!'

There was an awful pause.

'Not,' she said, 'like that.'

He stilled, watching his friend as she took a step towards him. 'I was patient. Sam told me to wait, to hang on, that one day you'd see the light and be at my front door.' She shook her head, and gestured out of the window towards the farm in the valley below. There, a tiny figure with shining red hair moved about the growing fields, and Sebastian couldn't stop the corner of a smile at the sight of her.

'And then Avery turned up, and you're all over her like you've never seen a girl before.'

'I can't help how I feel, Abi,' Seb said softly. She snorted, shaking her head in a cascade of shimmering purple.

'You could, if you tried.' Abigail took another step towards him. He could smell her perfume, and he realised belatedly how short his friend was.

'Abigail-'

Rising to her toes, Abigail reached up, her lips finding his. The kiss was slow, and simple; there was none of the fire that had raced through his veins when he had been kissing Avery.

Abruptly, Sebastian jerked away, and Abigail flushed, her usually pale skin turning a dark red. 'Seb-'

'No, Abigail.' His voice was icy, and hurt flashed across her face. 'I can't do that to you. It wouldn't work.'

'I'd be willing to try it.' Her voice was little more than a whisper, but he could see her mask cracking.

'I'm back! Seb, you guys are going to need to buy a bigger icetray if the summer gets any hotter!'

Sam's voice echoed down the corridor, and his footsteps tapped out ever closer. As the door back into the shop creaked open Sebastian and Abigail jumped apart. Sam paused, his gelled spikes quivering as he turned his head to both of his guilty-looking friends. A cup full of ice and pink liquid sloshed in his hands.

'Yeah, so I got the sense that I needed to come back in the room,' Sam continued. 'The tension could be felt literally all the way to the kitchen and back. Like. Damn.' He took a slurp through the striped straw in his glass and hopped back up to sit by the cash register.

'So, what did I miss?'

Sebastian looked at Abigail. Her emotions were warring, flashing across her face, but as he watched she shook her head. 'Nothing. You missed nothing.'

She turned smartly on her heel and headed for the door, the bell ringing into the silence after she had left.

'Let me guess.' Sebastian turned to see Sam hop back onto the counter, his lanky legs swinging. 'She asked why you didn't like her? Tried to kiss you?'

Silence.

'Oh, shit.' Sam sighed, rubbing his face with his free hand. 'She actually kissed you.'

'She said you'd told her to be patient,' Sebastian said slowly, turning to look back out of the window. 'Said that eventually I'd come around and see the light.'

There was a loud slurp from behind him. 'That was before I realised how into Avery you were. After the party, I told her she needed to back off. I guess she forgot to mention that?'

There was an undercurrent of tension in his tone, and Sebastian turned to give his friend a crooked smile. 'Relax, Sam. I'm frustrated, but I'm not mad.'

Sam snorted. 'Too right. Don't shoot the poor old messenger.'

He finished off the pink drink and set it on the counter before hopping off his seat. 'Speaking of messengers, I'm going to head into town and go find Penny.'

Penny? 'The teacher?'

Sam shrugged. 'We got talking after the party. I mean, there's probably nothing there, but she's cute, and funny once you get her out of her shell.'He winked. 'Maybe we'll do a double date.'

He could feel blood rushing to his face at that. 'Yeah. Maybe.'


	12. Summer 21st. The Dark Cloud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. It's been like, nearly two months. Sorry!  
> Life got busy - in a fantastic way, don't get me wrong...but it's been busy.  
> Anyway. Somewhere in the midst was Mental Health Day, and Sebastian deals with a lot of the same stuff I go through on a regular basis. This gets a TW for depression.

Three days later, Sebastian woke up to the Dark Cloud. It was an invisible cloud, of course; if you asked anyone else in the Valley they would have called it a beautiful late summers’ day.

Only one other person knew of the Dark Cloud; Robin. His mother. She tried to understand, as best as a mother could; but Robin was too busy, too much one of the ‘old generation’ to really empathize.

She didn’t know how it felt to feel the Dark Cloud constrict your chest and try to stop your heart.

Huh. Poetic, Sebastian.

Long hair mussed from tossing and turning, Sebastian had barely slept. The luminous clock on his desk had spun, ever so slowly, dragging the night on in endless torment. As he watched the hands move, he had felt the Dark Cloud descending, and now it hovered about his brain, getting stuck in the cogs, ceasing movement.

From far away, he heard a light tap at the door. His mouth felt heavy, his tongue clumsy and dead, and he stayed silent, instead watching the handle rise and fall.

‘Sebby?’

His mother. She moved as if through treacle, making her way towards him with infinite care. ‘You didn’t answer the door. Are you alright?’

He couldn’t answer. Somewhere inside his head, the Dark Cloud laughed. Slowly, he shook his head, pulling up the duvet to tuck around his neck. Robin looked at her son, eyes creasing with worry as she noted the sluggishness of his movements. She knelt beside the bed, looking into his eyes, and saw the blankness. Perhaps, too, she saw the shadow of the Dark Cloud for the first time. The eyes were supposed to be windows to the soul, after all.

After a moment, Robin stood back up. ‘I’ll make you some food, okay?’

Sebastian nodded, and she made her way to the door, stopping to cast him another worried glance before leaving.

The hands on the clock had moved another quarter before he found the energy to sit up. It was slow going – his brain seemed almost to slosh around inside his skull. He could almost hear the fluid crash like a wave upon his cranium.

Jeez. He really was going crazy.

There was another timid tap at the door, and Robin poked her head in. ‘Sebastian?’ Seeing that he was sitting up, she smiled at him. ‘There’s my boy. I made you some breakfast – runny egg and bacon, just the way you like it!’ She winked. ‘So crispy it’s almost burned.’

Somewhere deep inside his head, rusted gears creaking and screaming into motion.

‘Thanks.’

She put the plate of steaming food down on his desk, and ducked out again, leaving him to get on with it.

_Worthless._

He flinched. The Cloud never spoke to him unless it was really bad.

_She made you breakfast and everything. You should eat._

It was mocking him.

_Wouldn’t want to disappoint her any more than you already do, huh?_

It was right. Somewhere, another lever was pulled, and Sebastian reached for the plate. He ate the bacon with his fingers, barely feeling the heat of the meat as he dropped it into his open mouth and chewed, mechanically.

_Maybe you just don’t swallow. Just let it sit there and suffocate you._

That was a way harsher thought than normal.

He swallowed.

The bacon moved in a large, slow, lump down his throat. Sebastian looked at the egg. It was cooked to perfection, salted and peppered to within an inch of its life. She’d really tried.

With cutlery this time, he ate the egg.

It tasted like cardboard.

After he had eaten, Sebastian got back into his bed.

He should watch a film or something, switch his brain off. Switch the Cloud off.

_It’s already off, dumbass. That’s how I got in._

Oh. Right.

Maybe he should code. Or program. Or do something to get his brain in gear.

_You couldn’t even taste your bacon. What sort of person just shuts down? You’d do better to never start back up._

The Cloud was clearly feeling exceedingly mean today.

He was tired.

So tired.

He closed his eyes.

‘Sebastian.’

The world outside was bright now. How long had he slept?

‘Hey, dude.’

A soft voice. Blinking, Sebastian emerged from his cocoon of duvet to see Avery sitting, cross-legged on the floor. There were a couple of comic books strewn in front of her, and she was fiddling with some scrap metal. She was in dungarees today.

‘How you doing?’ she continued, pausing in her work to glance at him. ‘Robin said you were having a bad day when I stopped by the shop. Thought I’d stick my head in.’

‘Why?’

Avery glanced at him, noting the lack of energy in his voice. ‘Well. Cause I wanted to check you were okay. I was worried.’

‘Why?’

Now she looked exasperated. ‘Cause I was worried, Seb.’

She was worried? About him? Distantly, the thought rang a bell, an insistent peal in one of the many emergency rooms in the back of his head. But right now he felt swathed in cotton wool.

‘Oh.’

He lay there for a moment, gazing blankly at her, before breathing. He felt tired again. Slowly, he turned away, turning his back on her as he faced the wall. That was less complicated to look at.

‘So…what’s going on?’

 _Who is this bitch_? The Dark Cloud snarled. It was displeased.

‘It’s nothing,’ he murmured. The Cloud purred. Isolation was good.

He heard a sigh, and then footsteps, four of them, before the bedsprings creaked with a new weight. Was she actually sitting on the bed?

‘Sebastian.’

There was worry there, in her voice, and something else that he couldn’t quite detect.

‘Avery,’ he mumbled, parroting back her tone as best he could with what little energy he had.

‘Are you sick? Or are you just sad?’

The Dark Cloud roared.

He shook his head, pulling the covers up to hide his face.

He wasn’t sick.

But he didn’t know if he was sad, either.

‘I’m…nothing.’

‘Nothing?’

‘Nothing. I don’t feel anything.’

Avery waited a beat before slowly reaching for his hand that he had left atop the covers, anchoring the duvet to him. If he was supposed to feel a spark, or something, she was going to be mistaken.

‘Get off.’ He jerked his hand away. He just wanted to sleep. Was that so wrong?

She drew her hand back, startled, before pushing herself off the bed.

_Good. Drive her away. Like you do everyone._

The Dark Cloud was the bitchy one.

‘Hey, what’s the password?’

What? Slowly, Sebastian rolled back over, and saw Avery standing, balancing his new laptop in her arms.

‘Password?’ she repeated, bringing the laptop with her as she came to sit back down on the bed. ‘I want to watch something.’

‘So go home and watch it.’

‘No,’ she replied, shaking her red curls towards him. ‘I’m good to stay here, thanks.’

She gave him a cheeky grin. ‘Don’t worry. This’ll only count as another date if you want it to.’

How could she even think about dating?

 _Make her leave_ , the Dark Cloud snarled. Gathering stormclouds.

Reaching over, he typed the password in. Immediately, Avery headed for the browser, and tapped in a few keywords.  
A few mouse clicks later, and she was watching some inane video about…what was that, puppies? Or lambs?

‘It’s both,’ she said, anticipating his question. ‘At least, I think it’s both. Otherwise that lamb really needs a hair cut.’

She laughed out loud a moment later, cutting through the gloom of the Cloud.

‘Oh my gosh, Seb. You gotta watch this. I don’t care if you don’t find it funny, that’s freaking hysterical.’

She scooted up the bed until she was sitting, cross-legged, near his head. ‘C’mon. You don’t even have to turn over. You can just watch from there.’

He turned, anyway, just to be polite, and as he did Avery ducked down to kiss him lightly on the cheek.

‘What was that for?’

‘For turning over,’ she answered.


End file.
